In case you’ve forgotten, at the official announcement of the all-new Mitsubishi Pajero in May 2026, the Japanese carmaker also confirmed that the nameplate will be developed into a series of vehicles. Since then, we’ve seen teasers previewing the revived nameplate’s design and off-road capability, but those likely refer to just the main SUV.
Now, a recent report from Nikkei Asia suggests that a ‘midsize’ Pajero is in the works, along with a kei-size mini version. The former is expected to debut sometime between 2028 and 2029, while the latter is slated for 2030.
The report details that while a midsize configuration is on the horizon, it’ll likely compete against the Toyota RAV4 and the refreshed Mazda CX-5—both of which are more appropriately classified as compact crossovers. Translation issues? That notwithstanding, what’s clear is that a smaller alternative to the full-size, off-road-focused Pajero may be on the way.
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It will use a dedicated platform, but with components taken from the Outlander. While we wouldn’t want to drive rumors even further, an Outlander-inspired compact Pajero could introduce the nameplate to electrification. Don’t forget, the Philippines is expecting to see the plug-in hybrid Outlander very soon.
Overall, this doesn’t come as a complete surprise, as Mitsubishi previously shared that it has 13 new models in the pipeline, which include seven SUVs of varying sizes. A fully electric kei car and a similarly sized wagon are also in the upcoming roster, either of which could be the next Pajero Mini.
Going back to the main Pajero SUV, Nikkei Asia also shares that production will take place in Thailand, with sales in Japan scheduled for December 2026. That date falls in line with Mitsubishi’s 2026 fiscal year, which is when the Pajero is set to debut.
If you missed the Pajero, get ready to see a lot of it for the rest of the decade.
